4 ms·

the internet is, unfortunately, real life

by ruined 4y ago

qzx_pierri 4y ago
I acknowledge your feeling that the internet is real life, and I respect your opinion, but I have to disagree. I'll repost part of a comment I made 5 months ago because I think it's very relevant: "Don't forget that everything you see online is a facade. 15+ years ago, I fell in love with the internet because it's somewhere I could go to be something that I'm not. I could be LOUD, or I could say things I would normally never say away from the keyboard, and I think everyone bonded together online with this fact in mind. The internet was an escape. Soon, people began to view the internet as a reality due to the rapid homogenization into 3-4 major websites which are controlled mostly by advertisers. But what I've noticed is that most of the opinions you read online aren't very honest. Commenters on reddit will grift in the comment section for upvotes. Some commenters on HN will purposely avoid certain topics because their account is tied to their reputation in certain very partisan circles in California. Both of these examples are often the loudest and MOST SEEN (or unseen...) replies due to the low effort alignment with the popular opinion at the time. Although the internet seems more real everyday, I truly believe it's never been further from reality. No one is truly able to say what they want due to the (seemingly) dire consequences of saying "F*ck it" and stating your true opinion (which isn't all the time, but the option no longer exists). And this even applies in the short term. If you aren't banned, you're downvoted (HN, reddit, Lobste.rs, every website with a comment section...) or filtered by an algorithm tuned to keep corporate sponsors and advertisers happy (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)."
- falcolas 4y ago
  Many government functions (unemployment, DMV appointment scheduling, etc) can not be accessed from any place but the internet. It's one reason that Public Libraries are so important these days. That our government requires you to use the internet puts lie to the idea that you can live a complete life without the internet.
  - qzx_pierri 4y ago
    Yes, but those government services are funded using taxes, so yes, you ARE entitled to those services. You are not entitled to the use of any private service.
    - falcolas 4y ago
      Effectively, the entire internet is privatized. To put another way, it is impossible to access those government websites without using a private service. And since the government does not provide an email system, you still need to use a private service to access those public resources.
      - qzx_pierri 4y ago
        > you still need to use a private service to access those public resources Unless you contact them through USPS, which is a public service.
        falcolas 4y ago
        See the aforementioned "you can only access some government services via the internet" statement.
        achenatx 4y ago
        I dont think this is mostly true. All government services I have used recently are accessible without the internet. It is highly inconvenient without the internet, but not required.
  - vel0city 4y ago
    Being banned on Discord does not prevent you from using the DMV's website.
    - falcolas 4y ago
- tsukikage 4y ago
  > most of the opinions you read online aren't very honest IME it is exactly the opposite. People are more honest and open with their opinions on the internet; in real life, they are more likely to stay quiet or lie where they feel their interlocutors may not be accepting if their true thoughts were to be expressed.

the internet is, unfortunately, real life

by ruined 4y ago

the internet is, unfortunately, real life

I acknowledge your feeling that the internet is real life, and I respect your opinion, but I have to disagree. I'll repost part of a comment I made 5 months ago because I think it's very relevant: "Don't forget that everything you see online is a facade. 15+ years ago, I fell in love with the internet because it's somewhere I could go to be something that I'm not. I could be LOUD, or I could say things I would normally never say away from the keyboard, and I think everyone bonded together online with this fact in mind. The internet was an escape. Soon, people began to view the internet as a reality due to the rapid homogenization into 3-4 major websites which are controlled mostly by advertisers. But what I've noticed is that most of the opinions you read online aren't very honest. Commenters on reddit will grift in the comment section for upvotes. Some commenters on HN will purposely avoid certain topics because their account is tied to their reputation in certain very partisan circles in California. Both of these examples are often the loudest and MOST SEEN (or unseen...) replies due to the low effort alignment with the popular opinion at the time. Although the internet seems more real everyday, I truly believe it's never been further from reality. No one is truly able to say what they want due to the (seemingly) dire consequences of saying "F*ck it" and stating your true opinion (which isn't all the time, but the option no longer exists). And this even applies in the short term. If you aren't banned, you're downvoted (HN, reddit, Lobste.rs, every website with a comment section...) or filtered by an algorithm tuned to keep corporate sponsors and advertisers happy (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube)."

falcolas 4y ago
Many government functions (unemployment, DMV appointment scheduling, etc) can not be accessed from any place but the internet. It's one reason that Public Libraries are so important these days. That our government requires you to use the internet puts lie to the idea that you can live a complete life without the internet.
- qzx_pierri 4y ago
  Yes, but those government services are funded using taxes, so yes, you ARE entitled to those services. You are not entitled to the use of any private service.
  - falcolas 4y ago
    Effectively, the entire internet is privatized. To put another way, it is impossible to access those government websites without using a private service. And since the government does not provide an email system, you still need to use a private service to access those public resources.
    - qzx_pierri 4y ago
      > you still need to use a private service to access those public resources Unless you contact them through USPS, which is a public service.
      - falcolas 4y ago
        See the aforementioned "you can only access some government services via the internet" statement.
        achenatx 4y ago
        I dont think this is mostly true. All government services I have used recently are accessible without the internet. It is highly inconvenient without the internet, but not required.
- vel0city 4y ago
  Being banned on Discord does not prevent you from using the DMV's website.
  - falcolas 4y ago
tsukikage 4y ago
> most of the opinions you read online aren't very honest IME it is exactly the opposite. People are more honest and open with their opinions on the internet; in real life, they are more likely to stay quiet or lie where they feel their interlocutors may not be accepting if their true thoughts were to be expressed.